Half the price of the socks, at least, is guaranteed to go directly to the Sports Relief charity and will help vulnerable people both in Britain and across the developing world.

Across the country, Britons are pulling up their socks and heading for the tracks to raise cash and there are some unusual sponsored sporting events taking place.

The Banffshire Journal reports that local teen dance group the Street Stylers are holding a 12-hour dance-a-thon to raise money for the good cause.

Victoria Smith, the teenage founder of the group, told the newspaper: "We would like many different dance groups to come and join us in raising the money by coming along if you have a spare hour or so to dance."